Ore separator



' o. c. PATTON ET AL lane 6, 19311.

ORE SEPARATOR Filed June 4. 1928 INVENTORS. 0.6.Pezfi3n "V 6': Pwwlins ATTORNEQ a from the gangue by gravity.

Patented Jan. 6, 1 931 NITED STATES ATENT] OLIVER c. PA'ITON AND Joana. RAWLINS, on nnnvnacononnno,

onn snrnnnrron Application filed June 4, 1928. team. 282,808.

association of interconnected units in which the separation is effected in sucessive steps;

\ a further object is to provide an initial separating unit of novel construction in which the coarser constituents of the material are separated from the finer matter, prior to the separation of the values; another object is to include in the construction of the initial unit novel means for the preliminary separation ofvalues in the first stage of the process, and still other objects reside in details of construction and in novel arrangements and combinations of parts as will fully appear in the course of the following description.v

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of separating apparatus in which the distinctive features of our invention are embodied, and

Figure2, a horizontal section taken on the li11e'2-2, Figure 1.

- Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

The initial separating unit hereinbefore referred to may be used separately as an entirety, for the treatment of classes of ores in which the values are readily separated from the worthless matter in which they are carried, by asimple gravitative action, but

it is preferably employed in associationwith one or more successive separating units for the separation of values contained in the kinds of ores generally met with, in consecutive steps.

The initial unit 5 comprisestwo collecting-chambers 6 and 7 separated from each other by a partition 8 terminating at its upper, end in an inclined screen 9. The

screen is preferably composed of sections of different mesh, the finer section being uppermost as indicated iuth'e drawing. The screen formsthe bottom of a feed-chamber 10 into which ore is fed from a hopper 12' by means of a rotary rake 13. The rake causes the ore to move over an'inclined apron 1 1 in a comparatively thin sheet or layer in the direction'of the screen through which it is drawn by the suction of a fan 15 located at the opposite end of the apparatuses will hereinafter be more fully described.

Beneath thoapron is'an air-inlet preferably composed of an elongate nozzle 16, the upper and'lower walls 17 and 18 of which converge with relation to each other to provide, a narrow, slit-likeorifice 19 through which the air may enter into the feedchamber. f

The upper Wall 17 of the air-nozzle is mounted to move about an axis 20 whereby to vary the width of the orifice, and its adjustment is effected through the medium of a nut 21 of the turn buckle type, cooperating with alined threaded rods 22 connected to V the upper and lower walls of the nozzle at a point remote from the orifice.

It is to be noted that the eed chamber 10, the chambers 6 and 7 included in the initial separating unit, and the chambers of the other units of the apparatus, hereinafter to be described, are constructed and interconnectedin sucha manner as to provide a substantially air-tight passage for the air and the ore from the pointof ingress at which they enter the apparatus to the egress connected with the suction-fan.

The two collecting chambers of the initial unit are pointed at their lower ends in the form of spitzkastenand the discharge of their contents throughopenings 23 at their lowerfends is controlled by meansof sliding gates 24%, best shown in Figure 2; The gates consist of'apertured plates-slidably fitted in guide-ways at opposite sides of the respective discharge-openings and they are held in air tight contact with the ends, of the spitzkasten around the openings, by 'means of coiled springs 25; r e

In the upper portion of the collecting chamber 7 beneath and in spaced relation to the screen 9, are a number of baffles 26 of different heights which are separated from each other to provide a corresponding number of passages 27 through which the values contained in the ore may fall into the chamber 7'. The bafiiesl extend between opposite sides of the collecting chamber and the bane farthest away from the screen is at its upper end connected with the wall-ofthe chamber opposed to the screen, immediately above an egress opening 28 by which the unit is connected with the suctionafan, as will. hereinafter be. described.

The other separating units ofthe apparatus, whlch may be prov ded n any desired number, each consist of an uprightprefer ably cylindrical container 29 tapered at its lowerend and provided with a discharge opening 30 similar to the collecting chambers oi the first-described unit.

The discharge of material through the outletsv of the containers is controlled by gates 31 mounted and constructed similarly to those hereinbetore"described with relation to the initial unit.

In each container is a central upright con-r duit 32 spaced at its upper open end from the top of the container in'close proximity thereto and terminating at its lower end in an elbow 38, that passes through an opening near the lcwerhopper-shaped portion of the container and is in air-tight connection with the wall of the container.

Each container has, furthermore, substantially opposite to the opening occupied by the elbow ofthe respective conduit, an inlet opening 34 for its connection with the projecting end of the conduit of the next preceding container. I r a g p r The first container of the series next following the initial unit 5, hasits inlet opening in connection with the outlet 28 of: said unit by means or" a conduit 35, and the conduit 32 of the last container of the series is connected to; the air-intake opening of the rotary fan 15 which may be driven by an electric motor her 7 of the initial unitand the containers andtheir respective conduits interconnected in the manner shown and described, provide the suction tan.

an airtight circuitous course for the material between the air nozzle of the initial unit and The-ore in finely divided condition, fed into the chamber 10 across the apron 14 by rotation 'o'i the rake '13, is drawn through the r screen 9 together with air admitted through the nozzle 16 by the suction produced in the operation of the fan 15. The material from the time it enters the apparatus until it leaves'the same islcontinually heldin a state of suspension and the heavier, valuable and value bearing particles of the ore will in -Vconsequence be constantly subjected to gravitation.

w This, mainly, is the principle upon which our invention is based.

Tn the: feed-chamber of the apparatus the largerand heavier particles pass through the lower. sectionsfotthe screen and the smaller and lighter particles through the upper sections of the same, which are of finer mesh. Thus, a separation is 'efiectedat the very beginning of the operation. At the lower end ofthe screen, is anopening 11 of larger size, through which the coarsest and heaviest particles of the ore may pass into the collecting chamber 6.

By initially separating the verycoarse particles from theinaterial, the separation of the values from the finer matter is greatly expedited and a cleaner separation of the values from each other and from their gangue is efiected. The coarse material after having been discharged from the collecting chamber may be further comminuted and remixed with thefeed if so desired.

The material passing through the screen hits the bafiles 26a: different elevations according to the specific gravities of its part1- cles, and the heavier particles fall into the collecting chamber 7 through the passages 27. It is to be observed that by the arrangementof screens of different mesh and bafiies of varying heights, the lighter matter contained in the material is held longer in suspension above the collecting chamber 7 than the heavier matter, thereby affording to the heavier particles contained in said lighter matter more time and opportunity to separate from the particles of less weight. I

The material from which the heavier values 'and value bearing particles have been initially separated as described, is drawn from the initial separating unit successively through the following series'of units until its remainder passes out of the system through the suction fan. In each successive unit, the

material temporarily suspended in space before it enters the opening at the upper end of the respective conduit and during this interim the heavier particles fall by gravity into the lower portion of the unitand are there collected to be ultimately discharged through therespective' outlet 30.

It will thus be apparent that the material passing through the apparatus is subjected to successive separating actions which not only and value-bearing particles from the gan'gue,

but moreover effect a classification of the valuable particles in grades accordance with their weights. I Y Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pneumatic separator, a feed-ole ment, a suction-element, a collection chamber in an air-tight course between the elements, e

having an outlet in its upper portion for its connection in the course, and a series of baffies' in said upper portion of the chamber, providing channels for the separation by gravity, of valuesin the feed, one of the bat fies adjoining the wall of the chamber above the opening. I

2. In a pneumatic separator, a feed-element, a suction-element, a collection chamber in an air-tight course between the elements, having an outlet in its upper portion for its connection in the course, a series of ba-fiies in said upper portion of the chamber, providing channels for the separation by gravity, of

values in the feed, one of the baflies adjoining the wall of the chamber above the opening, and a slanting screen between the feedelement and the chamber, facing the upper ends of the channels.

3. In a pneumatic separator, a feed-element, a suction-element, a collection chamher in an air-tight course between the elements, having an outlet in its upper portion for its connection in the course, and a series of battles in said upper portion of the chamber, providing channels for the separation by gravity, of values in the feed, one of the baffies adjoining the wall of the chamber above the opening, there being a dust outlet at the top of the chamber, also connected in the course.

4:. In a pneumatic separator, a feed-element, a suction element, a collection chamber in an air-tight course between the elements,

having an outlet in its upper portion for its connection in the course, and a series of baffies in said upper portion of the chamber, providing channels for the separation by gravity, of values in the feed, the baflies 1ncreasing' progressively in height and the highest adjoining the Wall of the chamber above the opening.

5. In a pneumatic separator, a feed-element, a suction-element, a collection chamber in an air-tight course between the elements, having an outlet in its upper portion for its connection in the course, a series of bafiles in said upper portion of the chamber, providing channels for the separation by gravity, of values in the feed, one of the baffles adjoining the wall of the chamber above the opening, a slanting screen between the feedelement and the chamber, facing the upper ends of the channels, and an opening at the lower end ofthe screen for the separation'of coarse material.

6. In a pneumatic separator, a feed-element, a suction element, and a collection unit in an air-tight course between the elements,

including a closed chamber and a conduit in the chamber having at its upper end an inlet in the upper portion of the chamber and at its lower end an outlet outside the chamber, for its connection in the course.

7 In a pneumatic'separator, a feed-element, a suction-element, a collection chamber fist in an airtight course between the elements,

having'an outlet in its upper portion for its connection in the course, and a series of baffles in said upper portion of the chamber, providing channels for the separation by gravity, of values in the feed, one of the baffles adjoining the wallof the chamber above the opening, and a slanting screen between the feed-element and the chamber, having sections of dissimilar mesh.

8. In a pneumatic separator, a feed-element, a" suction-element, a collection chamber in an air-tight course between the elements, having an outlet in its upper portion for its connection in the course, and a series of baffles in said upper portion of the chamber, providing channels for the separation by gravity, of values in the feed, one of the bafiles adjoining the Wall of the chamber above the opening, a slanting screen between the iced-element and the chamber, having sections of dissimilar mesh, and an air blast forspreading the feed over the screen.

In testimony whereof we have afiixed our signatures,

OLIVER C. PATTON. J OHN G. RAWLINS. 

